Tractor-wheel.



Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

J. BEARD.

TRACTOR WHEEL.

APPLIOATION rum) 13:13.5, 1914.

. A ====Ek INVENTOR fieara! ATTORNEYS J 0 Z W J JAMES BEARD, OF TWORIVERS, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTOR-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Application filed February 5, 1914. Serial No. 816,738.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BEARD, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Two Rivers, in the county of Mendocino and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and Improved 'lractonlVheel, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact descrlption.

My invention relates to a selflay1ng track for tractor wheels.

An object of my invention is to provide a track of a character that thetractor wheels may more readily mount obstructions in the road, and soconstructed as to minimize the possibility of picking up trash, sand,etc., from the road.

In carrying out the invention, use is made of separate track sections atopposite s1des of the tractor wheels, the sections being oblong andnon-deformable, and arranged in angiilar relation to each other so thatthe respective major and minor axes of the track sections will bealternately presented to constitute a track surface. Gearing elementsare provided on the track sections in mesh with mating elements on thewheel, so that the trackksections are alternately turned.

The invention will be particularly explained in the specific descriptionfollowing.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis spec-1- fication, in which similar characters of refer enceindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of a tractor wheel equipped with myself-laying track; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section; Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 1, showing a slight modification; and Fig. 4 is atransverse vertical section of the form shown in Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and .2, the tractor wheel 10 may bemounted in any suitable manner, and is provided with two oblong tracksections 11. Cooperative gear elements are provided on the sections andwheel, there being in the form'shown in Figs. 1 and 2, internal gearteeth 12 on the track section meshing with peripheral gear teeth 13 onthe wheel 10. The wheel is peripherally grooved, being provided withside flanges 1+1 that receive the t ack sections 11. The side flanges 1of the gear wheel are of a diameter greater than the minor axes of theoblong track sections 11, so as 'to overlap the opposite elongated sidesof the said sections, to retain the same in posiover an obstruction.

surface is presented by the combined track tion during the turning ofthe track sections about the axis of the gear wheel. Each track sectionis rigid to be non-defornnible, and the sections are disposed with theirmajor axes in angular relation to each other, the one being disposedapproximately perpendicular to the other. Thus, when one section 11 isdisposed with its major axis horizontal to present a longer side thereofto constitute the track, the companion track section will present an endas the track surface. In this position of the parts, the wheel 10 willtravel along that track section pre scnting its major axis horizontally,and will carry along and turn the mating track section bodily, until theforward end of the first mentioned track section is reached by thetractor wheel, whereupon the said first men 'tioncd track section willbe turned to present an end thereof as the hearing or track surface,while the mating track section will have an elongated side thereofpresented as the hearing or track surface. It will thus be seen that thetrack sections are alternately and intermittently turned. Theconstruction is particularly advantageous in riding Also an ample tracksections regardless of the relative positions of the latter. As thesections are of un broken continuity, the objection of the ointsbecoming clogged is avoided.

In the form shown in Figs. and 4, the wheel 10 and track sections 11 aresimilar to those first described, the dillercnce being in the mode ofcil'ecting the gear connection between the wheel and track. Instead ofhaving continuous gear teeth running around the sections, as in thefirst described construction, lateral pins 122 are provided on the sidesof the track sections approximately parallel with the major axesthereof, and are adapted to be engaged by the peripheral teeth 13 on thewheel 10, the teeth on the wheel being epicycloidal or approximately so,in practice. It will be observed that the track sections are providedrespectively on their peripheries with spikes 11 to increase theirtraction on the ground.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

In a tractor wheel, separate, sclflaying oblong track sections disposedside by side with their major axes in angular relation, and a gear wheelhaving a peripheral groove In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES BEARD.

and presenting spaced peripheral flanges, the said flanges being of adiameter greater than the minor axes of the said oblong sections andreceiving the said sections between them, said flanges overlapping theoblong sections and cooperating meshing elenients vog the gear Wheel andoblong sections. I 1

Witnesses:

SAMUEL T. BnoWN, V. B. THoMrsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, JD. (2.

, An Art

